Combination carrier and grip



Oct. 8, 1929. s. A. MILLER COMBINATION CARRIER AND GRIP 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Sept. 7, 1 .92'7

.Www 1 Oct. 8, 1929. s. A. MILLER 1,731,078

COMBINATION CARRIER AND GRIP Filed Sept. '7, 1927 2 SheetS-Sheet 2 'gyn. 0

J\ Z6 Ig Zvw-eww: 96627263 07. Mlzer,

Patented Oct. 8, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIDNEYA. MILLER,y OF HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA COMBINATION CARRIER ANI) GRP Application filed September 7, 1927. Serial No. 217,979.

' mechanism. It will be recognized, however,

that in many of its aspects, the invention is not limited to apparatus et 'that particular type, but is generally applicable to well drilling equipmentof various types, and to many pipe holding devices.

A general object of the invention is to provide an improved polish rod grip which unctions automatically to clamp the :rod with unusual force and eliminates all danger of slippage between the parts during operation. The gripping action is accomplished by slips surrounding the rod and mounted in a novel manner, provision being made for locking the slips in a non-clamping position to permit adjustment of the polish rod and associated parts. The slips are retained in clamping position automatically, and the gripping action is obtained without the aid ot tightening bolts andnuts such as characterized prior constructions.

A feature ot the invention consists in forming the grip and rod carrier in a unitary structure, thereby simplifying' the spacing and adjustment ot the pump plunger,

and rendering it possible tor one man to perform such adjustments.

rlhese and other features of the inven tion will appear more fully from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, y

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the combined carrier and grip embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section showing the grip in released position;

Fig. 3 is a plan View, portion of the carrier being broken away;

Fig. lis a vertical section taken at right angles to Fig. 2, and illustrates the grip in clamping position; l

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on lines 5-5 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the grip.

The polish rod carrier is indicated generally at 2 and consists of a heavy bar 4: substantially rectangular in cross section, and provided at each end with a circular trunnion G. These trunnions carry bearing members (not shown) which form a part oi the cables leading to the walking beam. The operation ot' the carrier from the walking beam will be readily understood by those skilled in the oil pumping industry.

Intermediate its ends, the carrierbeam is providecL with an opening 8 for receiving the usual polish rod 10. As illustrated, the opening is conical in shape, the sides tapering gradually inwardlyr from top to bottom, and the smallest diameter at the lower end being gr-ater than that of the polish rod so as to freely receive the latter.

Rising from the upper `face ot' the carrier, and on opposite sides of the opening 8, are spaced brackets 12, connected at the upper end by a cross member 14 having an openinglG centrally located therein, and directly abovethe opening in the carrier. Vithin the opening 16 in the cross member is mountedk a bushing 1S having annular flanges 2() and 22 extending from its upper and lower faces, respectively. To facilitate the assembly of the various parts, the bushing 18 is preferably termed as a separate unit and detachably connected to the supporting cross member, as, for example, by screws 9A.

A gripping element 26 slidal/-ly mounted within the bushing. The grim'nng element consists et a hollow cylindrical body Q8 in external diameter slightly smaller than the opening in the bushing, so as to snugly lit therein and capable of afrec sliding movement. The lower end oia the body terminates in an enlarged conical head 30, the outer side walls of which are tapered to substantially the same degree as the kopening 8 in the main carrier bar. The lower portion of the rbody and the conical head of the gripping element are slit at plurality of spaced points as 32, thereby dividing` the element into elongated sectors 34 which form gripping slips. lThe interior passage through the body 28 andV head 30 is slightly larger than the polish rod and ordinarily the latter CFI described as stormed on t1 -e bushing.

Y gripping element. The ring is provided wit-.

would be able to slide therein. llllhen the head of the gripping element is lowered into the opening in the carrier, the internal passage will be reduced by the movement or the slips inward toward each other, this movement being produced by the coaction or the tapered walls of the slips and carrier opening. The farther the head is shoved into the carrier opening, the greater the inward movement of the slips, and the smaller the passage becomes. As a consequence, the polish rod is gripped between the slips vith increased force as the head moves downward.

The invention contemplates that the lower or gripping position of the head should be the normal one, and to this end a heavy spring surrounds the lower portion et the gripping element, jrhis sprinfr being confined bet vvveen the bushing 18 and the head 30. The flange 22 on the bottom of the bushing serves to guide the upper coils of the spring. uring the normal pumping operation,1 the gripping element is at all times urged downward by the spring, thus forcing the slips into rod clamping position.

rlhe mechanism for elevating the gripping clement against the action oi spring 36 to release the polish rod will now be described. ri second spring 38 surrounds the upper portion of the gripping element and is confined be tween the upper tace of bushing i8 and a flange e() formed on the upper end of the grip` ping element, the bottom of the spring being guided by the annular flange 2O previously rllhe upper spring` is much weaker than the lower spring, and, in practice, is just made ot such strength to readily carry theweight ot the gripping element. rlhe function oi the upper spring is to elevate the grip when the lower spring has been rcndered inactive.

The lower spring is supported by a ring 42 which normally is seated on the shoulder Ll L formed between the body and head oi the projecting lugs el@ at diametrically opposed points, these lugs being engaged in slots i8 formed in the arms et a U-shaped yole The yolre 1s connected to and is actuated by an operating handle which entends throughl a recess 5G provided in one ot the side brackets l2. The bracket forms the 'fulcrum for the handle and, to tacilitate operation, the handle and inner edge of the recess may be similarly f curved as at't to obtain a smooth rocking action. l,""Jhen the outer end of the handle is depressed, the ring will be elevated and, by compressingthe lower spring, the downward pressure against the grip sing element is relieved. immediately the upper spring begins to function and raises the gripping element into the position indicated in Figs. l and 2,

wh :ein the slips are out of contact with theV carrier opening, and conseqiently no longer bind the polish rod. The carrier or rod, or

manera both, being thus released, may then be moved to any position ol relative adjustment required. To hold the grip in released position, the handle may be locked in its depressed 'position in any preferred manner, such for eX- ample, as by a hoolr attached to the carrier.

Proper adjustments having been-made, the handle is disengaged trom the retaining hook, and t ie lower spring immediately forces the gripping element downward, the head lowering into the openingl in the carrier body. After the tapered sides of the grip head have contacted with the walls of the carrier opening, further downward movement causes the slips to move inward against the polish rod, thereby locking the latter to the carrier. It should be noted that the gripping action of the slips is not entirely dependent upon the force of spring 36, or any other mechanical means, the polish rod itself constantly acting to pull the slips downward. ilecessarily the heavier the weight applied to the polish rod, the greater the bincing action between the rod and the slips becomes. Practically all dan 'oer ot slin Oe is thus avoided.

Since the manner in which the different parts of the device operate to ieriiorm their function has been set forth in connection with the detailed description thereof, no Jiiurther description ot the operation is necessary for an understanding ot' the invention.

l-laving described the invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A device of the character described, having in combination, a carrier adapted to be attached to the walking beam ot' an oil pump, a bushing mounted on said carrier and in spaced relation thereto, a` polish rod grip slidably mounted in said bushing, the said vgrip including a plurality ot slips adapted toV surround the polish rod, yielding means tor constantly urging the grip to assume a position in which the slip will clamp the rod, means `for rendering said yielding means inactive. and means l'or moving the grip into non-clamping position.

2. A device of t-he character described, having in combination, a carrier adapted to be attached to the walking beam of an oil pump, the said carrier having a conical opening therein adapted to receive the polish rod, a bushing mounted on said carrier and in spaced relation thereto, a polish rod grip slidably mounted in said bushing, the said gripl including a plurality of slips adapted to surround the polish rod, the said slips being adapted to enter the openine in the carrier, means for urging the slips into said opening and causing the slips to move inwardly to grip the polish rod, means for moving the slips away from said opening to release the polish rod, and means forv rendering` said iirst mentioned means inactive.

3. A device of the character described, hav-y ing in combination, a carrier adapted to be attached to the Walking beam of an oil pump, the said carrier having a conical opening adapted to receive the polish rod, a bearing mounted on said carrier and in spaced relation thereto, a bushing' detachably mounted in said bearing, a polish rod grip slidably mounted in said bushing, the said grip ineluding a cylindrical body portion and a conical head, said head being, divided into a plurality of slips, the said head being adapted to enter the conical opening et the carrier and cause the slips to move inwardly and grip the polish rod, a spring for urging the grip into clamping positionn means ior rendering said springl inactive, and a .spring iter moving,` the grip into non-clamping position when the iii-st mentioned springis inactive. f

d. ln a device oi" the character described,

the combination oit a body having a socket, ot a bushing; rigidiy secured to said body in spaced relation thereto, a rod grip having one end projecting into said socket and the opposite end projecting into said bushing,

g5 means normally forcing the rod grip toward the socket into gripping position, and means for moving the rod grip toward the bushing.

A device of the character described, having in combination a carrier adapted to be attached to the valking` beam ot an oil pump or the like, said carrier having a tapered socket therein a bushing mounted on said carrier in spaced relation thereto, a rod grip 35 alidably mounted in said bushing, said grip having slil s slidable in said socket yielding means tor normally urging tbe grip to assume a. position in which the grip will clamp the rod, and means 'lor moving` the grip into non- 4@ clamping position.

6. A device oi the character described herinej, in coml'iination, a carrier adapted to be attached to the Walkingv beam et an oil pump,

a polish rod `ejrip mounted on said carrier and movable therewith, the said grip being mounted tor relative movement with rcspeet to the carrier7 means normally urging the grip into clamping1 position, means nornially urff'ng the grip into non-clampgo innY position and additional means for rend-r e'i og;- said .tiret named means inactive,

'7. A device of the chaiL eter described having', in combination. a carrier adapted to be attached to the Walking beam of an oil pump,

a polish rod grip mounted on said carrier and movable there-With, the said grip being mounted tor relatiye movement with respect to the carrier, means normally urging the grip into clamping` position, means normally eo urging' the grip into non-clamping position,

additional means for rendering said lirsnamed means inactive, and means for lockinej said lirstnnamed means in inactive position.

e5 SIDNEY A. MLLER. 

